Lucky Man
by susieq666
Summary: Horatio loses his 'out without a scratch' reputation in a big way.
1. Introduction

_**Introduction**_

_**At the end of the book 'Right To Die', Horatio walks away from not one, but two, bomb blasts and a near strangulation with little more than a headache and a sore throat. It wasn't quite like that…**_

_**(With apologies to the original writer, Jeff Mariotte, but he's a man and wouldn't understand.)**_


	2. Man Down

Chapter 1

Man Down

Horatio knew he shouldn't have called this debriefing meeting. It was his habit, if it had been a particularly busy or harrowing day, to get his main team together. To make sure everyone knew what was going on. To make sure everyone was all right. It wasn't strictly necessary, but it made for a better team, he thought.

This time it would have to be brief. He was aching from head to toe, every joint and muscle protesting. Not surprising really, given that he'd just had the hardest day, physically, of his life. He had avoided not one, but two, bomb blasts, and then been almost throttled by the bomber. He knew it was the first blast - it was small, or he wouldn't be standing here, but close - that had done the damage. It had affected his hearing, and his balance, and even now, he was steadying himself on the back of a chair, as he waited for the last of his team to arrive.

In truth, he hadn't been feeling that well ever since the blast, but nothing bad enough to stop him doing his job. However, in the last hour or so, his body was letting him know that it had had more than enough. It felt like deep exhaustion, almost as if his legs wouldn't take his weight. The headache he'd had all day was turning rapidly into migraine proportions, blurring his vision, and making him feel sick. As for the near strangulation, his throat felt as if he'd swallowed razor-blades.

He felt Calleigh studying him and wondered if he looked as bad as he felt. He raised his eyebrows at her, and she quickly looked away.

"Forgive the voice," he said hoarsely. "Anyone know where Ryan is?"

"On his way," Eric replied. "Said he 'just had to finish something'."

Horatio managed a small smile. "As always. In that case, I'm just going to take a quick break."

He pushed himself off the chair he was leaning on and turned towards the door. The doorway seemed to sway in front of him, and he was conscious of the nausea in his throat. Still, the bathrooms were virtually next door… His vision worsened, from blurred to black round the edges, and the floor seemed to slope. He was vaguely aware of the doors opening to admit Ryan, before his sight blackened altogether.


	3. Down & Out

Chapter 2

Down & Out

Ryan instinctively leapt forward, managing to catch his boss, taking enough of his weight to lower him to the floor. He sat back on his heels, looking stunned, then pulled his phone out as the others joined him.

"Should I call paramedics?"

Calleigh said quickly, "Call Alexx - it'll be faster. I think it's just a faint." She looked at Eric. "Help me turn him over." They turned him gently onto his front, his head to one side, the classic recovery position.

Ryan had got hold of the ME. "Alexx, can you come up to Conference Room 2? It's H."

That was all he needed to say. He knew she would be there as quick as her legs could bring her. Horatio, meanwhile, was coming round. His first utterance, under his breath, was a magnificently choice swearword. Ryan smothered a smile.

Horatio looked into Calleigh's worried face. "I passed out?"

"You did. Lie still. Alexx is on her way."

"I'm all right. It's just been a hell of a day."

"H, you can't possibly be 'all right'. I've never, ever seen you come even close to passing out." She kept a firm hand on his shoulders, in case he had ideas about getting up.

The ME, complete with medical bag, came in, obviously having run all the way. She bent down. "What happened?"

Eric answered. "He fainted. He's been in a bomb blast and been nearly strangled."

Alexx, well-known for her gentle endearments to all and sundry, including the dead, reached out and stroked the auburn hair. "Poor boy, you have been through the mill…" Then, more practically, "Where are you hurt?"

"I'm not. Just a bit… battered…"

She looked doubtful. "You say. Have you seen a doctor?"

"He refused," Eric said quickly, ignoring a distinctly cold look from his boss. "He was bleeding. Ears and nose."

"Oh, Horatio," she reproached him. "I think you should go to hospital."

"Not necessary." He pushed himself into a sitting position. "Help me up." He thrust a hand at Eric, and hauled himself to his feet, while Eric kept a supporting hand under his elbow. "Bathroom," he said urgently, "unless you want me to throw up on your shoes."

Eric came back after a few minutes.

"You _left _him?" Alexx was accusing.

"He ordered me out. He's just washing his face. Seems OK…"

"Was there blood in the vomit?" A practical medical question, but Eric laughed in embarrassment.

"I don't know! He shut the door on me. Ask him."

"Oh, I will. Stubborn man!" She looked as if she was about to stamp her foot. "Has he no idea what he might have done to himself?"

Eric spoke softly. "This is H we're talking about. I'm sure he has every idea. He works on the principle that if he can still walk and talk, there can't be too much wrong."

"Since he can't really do either at the moment, it rather makes my point," Alexx said crossly.

"Hey, don't take it out on me! You know what he's like…"

"What am I like?" Horatio came back in, totally ashen, eyes reddened, but determinedly cheerful.

"I wouldn't dare repeat it, honey," the ME said briskly. "Now, can you make it downstairs?"

He raised his eyebrows, choosing to save his voice.

Calleigh said gently, "Please, H, go with Alexx."

The ME chipped in curtly. "_Someone_ needs to examine you."

"Few cuts and bruises is all you'll find."

"Then let me satisfy myself of that." She had suddenly lowered her voice, and she knew he hadn't heard her properly. Raising it again, she said, "Your hearing's shot, isn't it?"

"Not really. It was. It's coming back." The husky voice turned into a sudden cough and he winced, involuntarily touching his throat. It seemed to decide him. "All right, Alexx, I give in. Treat me gently."

"I will, baby boy, I will."

He looped an arm round the ME's shoulders, and walked with her out of the room.

After a long silence, it was Calleigh who summed it up. "Wow… That was a bit of a shock… I think I need a drink."


	4. Stubborn, or What?

Chapter 3

Stubborn, Or What?

Downstairs outside the autopsy lab, Alexx faced Horatio and said firmly, "You need a hospital, H."

"I need to go home and sleep, Alexx. I've had a hard day."

"You were bleeding, I heard."

"Not much."

"Any blood when you threw up?"

Horatio hesitated. "A bit."

She took his hands in hers. "Look, precious, I know you're tough. So do your team. You've nothing to prove. But whatever you're feeling, it's got to be bad to knock you out like it did."

"I've got a monumental headache, that's all."

"I'm going to call in some favours at Dade General. I want you to have a full scan and I want your hearing looked at. And don't scowl at me - if you go deaf, you'll be out of a job. Now, I can't make you go, but… do it for me, mm?"

He hesitated, then nodded briefly.

She smiled, and squeezed his hands. "Sit down while I make a call."

He did so, while Alexx went into her office. After a few minutes, she came out and held out a hand. "All arranged. Come on, I'll drive you."

He got wearily to his feet. "God, Alexx… I was OK, you know? This just came on so fast…"

"I'll look after you, now you're letting me. You're a stubborn man, H."

"One of my many virtues, Alexx."

She chuckled, and slipped an arm round his waist, as they walked out to the parking lot. It was a short run to the hospital, and, because of her status, Alexx was allowed to stay with him. She had also, somehow, cleared the way for him to be seen immediately. He had stopped protesting. In fact, he hadn't said a word since leaving the lab. She suspected it was taking all of his considerable willpower just to keep going. He looked as if everything hurt, from undressing, to getting into a hospital gown, to sitting down, to lying under the scanner.

On Alexx's instructions, they gave him a full body scan, then a detailed brain scan. She and the hospital radiologists checked, and checked again, looking for anything that might be hidden under that enigmatic exterior. She expected bleeding, broken bones, something… When she went to see him, in a side room, she was shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't know how, H, but you've got no broken bones, no brain swelling, no internal bleeding…" She was more relieved than she would ever let him know.

"I told you I was OK."

"Not quite. You've got more internal bruising than they've ever seen, apart from in major traffic accidents. Your lungs are bruised, your diaphragm's bruised…"

"I get the picture."

"And your brain's bruised. A bad concussion, if you like, which is why you've got such a headache. That's apart from external injuries." She reached out and touched the darkening bruises on his neck. "Still, now we know what's what, you can have some pain relief and get some sleep."

"What about my hearing?"

"They'll do some tests tomorrow, and maybe look at your throat. They really can't now, with you in this much pain, or full of morphine."

"I'm not staying in."

"Oh yes, you are. Come on, Horatio. They can keep you comfortable and keep an eye on you. You'll probably be out tomorrow." She got the feeling it was just a token protest, and that he was too knocked out to fight anymore. That he'd have a hard time even standing up again at the moment. Not that she doubted he would, if challenged. "I'll take your clothes and bring you some fresh stuff, yes? Can I get into your house?"

"Keys are in the jacket."

She felt one of the pockets, and nodded.

"You've got my guns, haven't you?" He had handed them to her as he undressed.

"All your hardware's in here." She patted the briefcase she carried. "I might hand them over to Eric though… my kids…"

"Sure. You'll be by in the morning?"

"First thing, unless anything desperate comes up at the lab."

"If anything desperate comes up, you phone me, right?"

The blue-eyed stare that intimidated many a suspect cut no ice with Alexx. "Difficult, honey," she said, with a smile. "I've got your cell. And your clothes." She turned to go.

"Alexx!"

"Oh, go to sleep!" And she left the room.

They gave him an injection of what he assumed was morphine, and he felt the deep all-over pain ebbing. He was distantly aware of the bed being moved, of being wheeled along a corridor, but he was asleep before they reached their destination.


	5. Morning After

Chapter 4

Morning After

The main problem next morning, Horatio discovered, was moving at all. He was stiff in every joint. He didn't actually feel too bad and the wicked headache had faded to something tolerable. He managed to get up, shower and shave before Alexx arrived as promised.

"Anything happening?" he asked.

"Nothing that can't wait. Eric's outside. He didn't fancy coming in. Says he's seen enough of hospitals."

"What now?"

"A quick look at your ears. I was going to suggest a throat examination too, but, honestly, your voice sounds OK."

"It is. My hearing's more or less back to normal as well."

But he submitted quietly enough to an examination, carried out by a small excitable Asian doctor, and involving probes and tuning forks, and many murmurs of "Good. Very good. Very very good," until Horatio caught Alexx's eye and had to smother a childish desire to laugh.

At last, the doctor stood up and said, "All good. Lucky man."

Horatio's smile vanished, as he wondered just how lucky you had to be to encounter two bombs and a strangler in one day. Alexx saw the faintest flash of annoyance in the blue eyes, thanked the doctor and hurried him out.

She smiled at Horatio and said cheerfully, "You can go home then. I said you'd be out today."

"I hope you brought some clothes."

"Of course. I assume you'll insist on going to the lab…"

He smiled innocently. "Likely."

"…so I brought a suit."

He pushed himself to his feet with a deep groan. "I'm stiff."

"I'm not surprised. They said you looked as if you'd hit a brick wall."

"Felt a bit like that." He began to unfasten the hospital gown. "Are you going to watch?"

She chuckled. "I doubt you've got anything I haven't seen… I'll be downstairs with Eric."

The man who walked across the car park, some five minutes later, looked, thought Eric, pretty much normal, in silk shirt, beautifully cut suit, auburn hair damp and combed back. And shades, of course. He wondered idly if H had kept them with him all night. He noticed two nurses, crossing the car park, their eyes following Horatio, and making some comment to each other, but H appeared not to have noticed. He was moving stiffly though, and there were several bruises visible above the shirt collar.

Eric gave him a warm smile. "You look a whole lot better, boss."

"I feel it, Eric. Sorry about yesterday." He suspected it had embarrassed Eric to deal with him in that state.

"No problem."

Glancing round the parking lot to make sure it was quiet, Horatio patted his pockets and his right hip. "I feel half-naked."

Eric chuckled and went to unlock the secure compartment in the Hummer, as Alexx handed him his wallet, keys and phone. Eric produced his badge, ID and firearms, and Horatio clipped them to his belt. Then, resting a foot on the running board of the Hummer, he strapped the small ankle holster into place, straightening up with a faint groan.

Then he smiled. "Better. I'm good. Shall we go?"

They got into the vehicle, Horatio in the front passenger seat, Alexx in the back, and headed for the lab.

"Now, H," Alexx began, but he interrupted her.

"Don't nag me."

Eric laughed. "You'd better listen, H. She's scary."

"She's a bully." Horatio turned as far round in the seat as his stiff neck would allow and winked at the indignant ME. "Alexx, I'm going to sit in the office and catch up on some paperwork. And I'll go home early. Deal?"

She nodded.

He added, under his breath, "Unless anything… interesting… turns up."


End file.
